Crystalline Cellulose and Derivatives: Characterization and Structures (Springer Series in Wood Science)

“On making many books there is no end” but we trust that no excuse is needed for the present work. The subject of cellulose chemistry is among the simplest of studies, but the important advances of recent years have clarified it to such an extent that we feel the time is ripe for publishing a relatively simple book which may act as a guide to younger chemists who are entering those branches of our great industries which are concerned with cellulose. J.T. Marsh and F.C. Wood (1939) An Introduction to the Chemistry of Cellulose Recent progress in crystalline polysaccharide structure determination and the publication of numerous models of cellulose and cellulose derivatives by improved methods made a critical and up-to-date survey of structures and characterization of cellulose possible and necessary. Structural evaluations by refined experimental and computer-aided modeling represent the prerequisite for many research and testing areas of cellulosic materials, e.g., for establishing structure–property relationships (tensile strength, sorption, solubility , etc.), chemical reactivity and derivatization as well as the composition of cell wall materials and the orientation of microfibrils in cellulose fibers. Modern materials science needs tailored materials, linked to the structure for improvements and for new developments. The active species for enantiomeric separation in gel permeation chromatography columns are, e.g., microcrystalline cellulose derivative beads of a particular structure, which produce optimal results.

This book constitutes a valuable, concise and up-to-date guide for the materials and life science community interested in cellulose and related materials. Reliable crystal structures of all cellulose polymorphs and cellulose derivatives determined are critically reviewed and discussed. Models are represented in graphs together with a collection of geometrical data as well as the atomic coordinates for further use. The background for fiber diffraction, computer-aided modeling and spectroscopic investigations is briefly introduced and also included are the necessary molecular data from oligosaccharides as a basis for structure evaluations. X-ray diffraction patterns and spectroscopic diagrams are presented as references to characterize cellulosic materials and to serve as fingerprint tools for the exploration of unknown specimens of cell walls and of industrially processed films and fibers as well as solid-state materials.

Cellulose as an abundant renewable material has stimulated basic and applied research throughout the years, as addressed in a historical review, and has inspired significant progress in polymer science. In recent years cellulose has gained renewed importance as a raw material and still possesses high potential for future applications. Academia and industry may equally profit from this comprehensive survey.